Letter and tape printer



Feb. 17, 1942- L. A. THATCHER ETAL 2,273,300

LETTER AND TAPE PRINTER Filed Jan. 16, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet l JUNK DOE ANY WHERE ANY PLACE ATTORNEY Feb. 17, 1942.

L. THATCHER ET AL LETTER AND TAPE PRINTER 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1940 ATTORNEY Feb. 17, 1942. 1.. A. THATCHER ET AL LETTER AND TAPE PRINTER 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 16, 1940 izv Feb. 17, 1942. L. A. THATCHER ET AL LETTER AND TAPE PRINTER 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 16, 1940 v lNVENTO s L 4 2. 77/ My BY ATToR NEY 1942- 1.. A. THATCHER ETAL LETTER AND TAPE PRINTER Filed Jan. 16) 194o a Sheets-Sheet 5 Y.INVENTO 1/ den 2 BY Jag 4. @Mer f- 5 fry/J19" ATM F 1942- L. A. THATCHER ETYAL ,2

LE'I'TER ANVD'TAPE': PRINTER Filed Jan. 16, 1940 a Sheets-Sheet s MAME: M

Fb. 17, 1942; H R ETAL 2,273,300

- LETTER AND TAPE PRINTER Filed Jan. 16, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet ArromlEY Feb. 17, 1942. L. A. THATCHERV ETAL 2,273,300

LETTER AND TAPE PRINTER Filed Jan. 16, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 17, 1942 a LETTER AND TAPE PRINTER v Linden A. Thatcher andlohn A. Strother, Stamford, Conn., assignors to Pitney-Bowes Postage Meter 00., Stamford, Conn, a corporation of Delaware Application January 16, 1940, Serial No. 314,038

I 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a mailing machine which is adapted to print a stamp impression upon letters and tape and is a continuationin device has been provided which will functionunder the control of the operator, to issue a printed stamp. The stamp preferably has one gummed surface and when moistened can be easily applied to the oversize mail or package.

Several novel features are presented in the combination provided, and while the disclosure is more particularly related to a coin operated mailing machine, it is to be understood that the features claimed will apply to any form of mailing or like printing machines.

Among the several objects of this invention, one object is to provide in a coin operated mailing machine, means whereby tape and separate pieces of matter may be imprinted with a stamp impression.

It is a'further object to provide individual tripping means for alternatively effecting the operation of the machine for the printing of stamp impressions on letters or tape, thereby eliminating the necessity for any pre-selection means.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby, with a single rotary printing die, printing upon letters will be effected in a direc tion which will cause letters to move inward from a position outside the machine, andprinting upon tape will be effected in a direction which will cause the tape to move outward in an opposite upon, will be the only one disposed in a printing position.

Another object is to provide means for printing on either separate pieces of matter or tape, and means whereby the printing on onewill prevent the printing on the other.

Another object is to provide a tape supply including means to feed tape to the printing member, and means to cut the tape before printing is eifected.

It is a further object to prevent the machine for either a tape or letter printing operation until a value selection is made.

With the above andother objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of 'parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it. being understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view looking toward the front and one side of the casing which encloses the mailing machine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the machine and includes the letter and tape printing mechanism, tape supply and cutting mechanisms, and control means therefor;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view looking in the direction of the arrow 3 on Fig. 2, with part in section;

Fig. 4. is a detailed view showing the tape controlling push button moved to its inward or depressed position, and further shows the mechanism which is affected by the movement thereof;

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3, showing the position of the parts when the tape controlling push button is in the inner position of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detailed view of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2, and more particularly the two platen rollers which are associatedwith the two printing positions and with the upper or tape platen roller shown in a. printing position;-

Fig. 7 is a plan detailed view of the push button bar shown in the position of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is an operation view showing a letter tripping operation and the locking of the tape control push button;

Fig. 9 is an operation view showing a letter passing through a printing position and further showing another letter being deposited in a letter receptacle;

Fig. 10 is an operation view showing a tape cutting operation;

the tripping of Fig; is a plan detail view of the tape guide and cutting member;

Fig. 16 is a detail elevational view looking in the direction of the arrow l6 on Fig. 3;

Fig. 17 is a detail view looking in the direction of the arrow I l on Fig. 3;

Fi 18 is a detail view looking in the direction of the arrow it on Fig. 3; and

Fig. 19 is a detail view showing the value selector dial and cam means to control the latching of the tape control push button.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, Fig. 1 illustrates the outer structure of the machine or housing It which includes within the upper portion thereof, the credit and printing mechanisms, and within the lower portion, a mail receptacle. Within the front panel of the housing are coin slots it, a credit indicator dial H, a selector knob l8 and selector dial 25, a tape or stamp receptacle l9, and a letter slot 2i.

The machine in general provides for the reception of coins of a plurality of denominations,

which, when inserted, will effect the setting of a credit for the total unit value thereof, which credit will register upon the dial ll. Selection of any desired value of stamped impression is made by rotating the knob l8 until said value appears on the dial 25 within the window 22.,

Having made such selection, the mechanism within the machine will have been properly adlusted, and the value printing dies 29 will have been set in printing position in accordance with said selection.

If the operator has a letter on which said stamp value is to be printed, the letter is inserted within the slot 25. This will efi'ect the tripping of the machine, in a manner to be hereinafter described, and will cause the letter to be drawn into the machine to be printed and then be directed into the letter receptacle, a portion of which is indicated at 23, Fig. 9. If the operator chooses to print the stamp impression upon tape, a push button 24 is depressed. This trips the machine and effectsa tape feeding, cutting and printing operation of the tape and finally deposits the printed and cut portion in the receptacle i9.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3' in which the mechanism directly associated with this invention is shown in detail. a printing cylinder 21. having an indicia die 26, is carried by suitable support 28 and is adapted to be driven by means of a power drive indicated at 29. The support 28 forms a part of a unit which is carried by a bracket 3|. The drive 29 is connected with the printing cylinder by means of a key and slot connection 32-33, Fig. 3, and is controlled by a clutch H5, in a manner to be hereinafter described, so as to be driven through one revolution whenever the'machine is tripped, either through a letter tripping or manual tripping operation.

In connection with the letter tripping structure, a platen roller 34 is mounted in a bracket 35 which bracket is pivotally supported on a shaft 36, the shaft being supported by lugs 3'! projecting inwardly from the front wall of the housing i5. Said platen roller 34 is further positioned so as to be normally urged toward the lower surface of the printing cylinder 21 by means of a spring 38, Fig. 6. Said platen roller 34 is also adapted to be driven by means of a flexible drive connection 39, which is connected with the power drive in a manner best shown in the aforesaid patent application.

Adjacent the letter slot 2i, and insidethe machine housing, are two rollers -12, which, when a letter is inserted in the machine, are adapted to feed said letter to a printing position. The roller d2 is positioned below the roller 4i and is carried on a shaft 43, which shaft is suitably supported and is adapted to be driven through one revolution by means of a clutch drive indicated at it, in a manner to be hereinafter described.

The roller fl is mounted on pivotal support arms t5, which arms are carried by a shaft 46. Said roller ti is normally urged downwardly toward the roller 32 by means of a spring 31 but owing to the engagement of an arm 48, on shaft as with the end of another arm 39 carried by the shaft 43, the said roller M is normally maintairigd in a spaced apart relation with the rollor A letter trip lever 5! is carried by a shaft 52, and when engaged by a letter L, as best shown in Fig. 8, a lever ill will be rocked to efiect release of the clutch mechanism 44 in a manner to be later described. Said letter tripping operation will effect rotation of the shaft 43 and thereby disengage the arm 19 from the arm 48. which in turn will permit the roller 4| to be forced downward into engagement with the letter and thereby effectively coact with the roller 42 to drive or feed the letter to a printing position. Upon completing one revolution, a roller 53, carried by the arm G9, will engage and cam the arm 48 upwardly to its original position, shown in Fig. 2. Aseries of fingers 55, carried by the shaft 43, normally lie in the path of the letter to provide a stop which is engageable by said letter when inserted in the machine. Said fingers will immediately be removed from the path of the letter after a letter tripping operation is effected.

Associated with the tape printing mechanism is a platen roller 56, which is carried by support arms 51, said arms being carried by a shaft 58. The shaft 58 is supported by lugs 59, fixed to the inner wall of the housing l5, and also has secured thereto an arm 6|. By means of a sprin cushion structure 62, the arm 6! and platen roller support arms 51 are normally urged in a counterclockwise direction about the axis of shaft 58 to normally maintain the platen roller 56 in a spaced relation to the printing cylinder 21.

A link 63 has one end fixed to a platen roller supporting arm 51 and the opposite end loosely connected with the platen roller sup ort bracket 35 by means of a pin and slot connection 64.

A roll of tape 65 is suitably mounted upon a shaft T0 and the free end of said tape passes between a pair of tape feed rollers G6-6l and between the cutters of a tape cutting device 68. Said tape feed roller 66 is mounted in bearin s 69. which bearings are slidably mounted within a bracket H, and further are normally urged in a downward direction by means of springs '52. The lower tape feed roller is mounted upon a shaft l3 carried by the bracket H, which shaft further carries a gear 14 which meshes with a Geneva driven gear E5. Said Geneva driven gear machine frame.

, 2,278,800 is supported on a stud 18 and has secured thereto a Geneva wheel 11. An arm 18 is fixed to the printing cylinder 21 and has a pin 19 thereon. which, during the rotation of said printing cylinder is adapted to engage with one of four slots '88 in the Geneva wheel 11 to thereby rotate said Geneva wheel through 90 degrees during each.

one bracket 83 suspended from a part of the An arm 84 fixed to the rotary cutting knife 92 is connected with an arm 88 on shaft 18 by means of a link 88, said latter arm being freely mounted upon the shaft 18. After the pin 19 leaves the slot 88 of the. Geneva wheel during the feeding of the tape, it will next engage the free end of the arm 85, as best shown in Fig. 10, to rock said arm about the shaft 18. This will effect the rocking of the rotary cutter 82' to cut a desired length of tape before printing After cutting, the cut strip of tape or stamp S will be supported within a guide member 81. The said cutter device is the same as the cutter disclosed in Patent No. 1,849,443, and any further detail may be had by reference to said patent.

Coinciding with the tape cutting operation, there is also provided means for efi'ecting movement of the tape platen roller 58 in a downward direction to engage said out portion ofthe tape .while it is supported by the guide member 81.

Downward movement of the platen roller 58 is accomplished by rocking an arm 88 about a stud 89, through the engagement of a cam 9| with a roller 92 on said arm 88, as best shown in Fig. 6. A roller 93 at the end of said arm 88 normally engages a lug 98 on the link 83. When said arm 88 is rocked-the roller 93 will force the lug 98 downward and consequently move the link 83, bracket 51 and platen roller 58. Upon the ap proach of the indicia die face 28 of said printing cylinder 21 to the position of the platen 58, the

said out stamp portion will be engaged by the printing die face and imprinted with the postage indicia and value, and further will'be fed forwardly through a tubular guide 94, as indicated in Fig. 11. Upon passing through said tubular guide 94 the printed tape or stamp will rest in an accessible position within thestamp receptacle extends sidewardly from an arm |8I on a shaft I82. Said shaft I82 is suitably carried in a bracket I83, and further has fixed thereon a lever I84, one arm of which extends in the path of the pin 91 on the trip bar 95. Upon moving said tripbar 95 inward by pressing the button 24, the pin 91 will engage'the arm of said lever I84 I Engaged with the forked portion of said fork arm 98 is a pin 99 which to thereby rock same and shaft I 82, which in turn will rock the arm ml and forked arm 98, to finally'effect the rocking of the shaft 52 and cause a tripping operation. See Fig. 4.

It will thus be seen that the tripping of the machine, may be effected by either the engagement-of a letter with the trip lever 5| or by pressing the button 24.

For the purpose of clarifying the drive of the letter feed and the printing cylinder, Figs. 16, 1'7 and 18 have been included, which show the means provided for effecting a tripping operation, to first release the letter feed drive, then release the printing cylinder drive.

Referring first to Fig. 16, a train of gears is shown at I53, which gears are driven from the aforementioned drive 29 and control the drive of a short shaft I54. Said drive 29 is rotated continuously after a coin is entered into the machine, therefore, the shaft I54 will be rotated continuously. Th'e clutch 44, previously mentione'd, is carried by the shaft I54. Said clutch is of the ratchet and pawl type, the ratchet portion I55 being continuously driven by the shaft I54. which are supported between end plates The pawls I58 are mounted on studs I51 I58.

Said end plates I58 are carried by a stub shaft as the stop lever I82 is maintained in a stop position, the pawls I58 are held withdrawn from the ratchet wheel I55. When however, the stop lever I82 is withdrawn from its engagement with a finger I84 on said cam plate I8'I, the pawls move into engagement with the ratchet wheel I55 and are thereby driven until the clutch has rotated through one revolution. The hooked end of the lever I82 is returned to the path of the finger I84 when a lever I85 on said shaft I83 is rocked as a result of the engagement of a pin I18 therewith, which pin extends sidewardly from one of the end plates I58. The said pin I18 will engage the head portion I88 of *said lever I85, to cam said lever outward.

The'rocking of said shaft I63 is effected by means of the rocking action of a lever and link unit which comprises lever I 81, lever I88 and link I89. On the shaft 52, which carries .the letter trip finger 5|, is a short lever I1I, at the end of which is an upwardly disposed hook I12. When a letter is inserted in the machine and engages the trip finger 5|, said'lever I1I is rocked and the hooked member I12 is drawn downwardly against a'projection I13 on lever I88. The lever I 88 is thus rocked and consequently effects the rocking of the lever I61. This action rocks the shaft I83 and withdraws the hooked member I82 to trip the clutch 44.

Having thus tripped the clutch 44, the clutch I member I88 will be driven to thereby effect the rotation of the shaft 43 and effect a letter feeding operation throughthe feed rollers 4| and 42.

A clutch I15.. Fig. 3, which .is similar in construction to the above named clutch 44, controls 'the drive of the printing cylinder 21, when tripped. Said tripping occurs immediately after the tripping of the clutch 44 in a manner now to be described. Referring to Fig. 16, a clutch stop I18 is mounted upon a shaft I11 and has its free end engaged with a finger I18 of the clutch member I15. Another lever I19,'which is fixed to the shaft I11, is linked with a lever |8| by means of a link I82. Said lever I8I is fixed to a shaft I99, which shaft is adapted to be rocked by means of the engagement of a cam portion I85 of a disc I81 with a roller I84 on a lever I88. The disc I81 is carried by the clutch unit 44 and therefore will function to rock the lever I88 and shaft I83,

immediately upon operation of said clutch 44.

The rocking of said shaft I83 will effect the rock ing of shaft I'll through the lever and link connections ISI, I19 and I82 respectively, which in turn will effect the rocking .of the clutch. stop lever I75, and release the clutch I15. The release of said clutch I15 will effect the drive of we printing cylinder ll through one revolution, there being an arm I89 on the shaft I'I'I which is engaged by a pin I189 to return the clutch stop in a driven clutch portion I08, it will effect the drive of I the feed roller 42 of the letter feed means, which feeding canonly occur when atrip is effected by means of the engagement of a letter with the trip lever 5|. When tripping of the machine is aceomplished by pressing the button 24 for the printing of tape, the said clutch member II will be declutched from the driven member I08, thereby leaving the shaft 43. free from rotation and causing the fingers 55 to remain fixedly in the path of the letter. The shifting of said slidable clutch member I01 is accomplished by means of a shifting lever I09 which has a pin III engaged with a groove I I2 in the clutch portion I01. Said lever I09 is fixed to one end of a shaft I I4 carried in brackets II5-I I5, Fig. 2. Another lever H9 is mounted at the opposite end of the shaft I I4.

At the inner end of the manually operated bar 95 is a cam portion H6, Fig. 4. When said bar is moved inward by pressing the button 24, the cam portion-I I6 will move across one arm I", Fig. 5, of a lever I I9 to rock said lever about its supporting stud H9. By means of compound linkage, best shown in Fig. 5. said lever H8 is connected is broken. In other words when the drive of the letter feed mechanism is effective through the engagement of the clutch members I!" and I08, the clutch members fill and I34 associated with the tape feed roller 67 are disengaged, and when the tape feeding mechanism is effective through the engagement of the clutch members ISI and IN, the clutch members I01 and I08 are disengaged.

The bar 95 is positively returned from its depressed position to the normal position of Fig. 2 by means of a pin I39 which extends sidewardly from the printing cylinder 2'I. At the end of each revolution of the printing cylinder TI, the pin I39 will engage with a lug I on the bar 95 to drive said bar forward. When the bar 95 returns to the normal position, shown in Fig. 2, the lever H9 will have been rocked about its pivot I I9 through the action of a spring I38, Fig. 5. This action effects the rocking of the lever I22 and arm I35 and withdraws the clutch member I38 from engagement with the slotted hub with the clutch shifting lever I09. The parts of the linkage include, a lever I22 carred by a shaft I20, link I24'connecting an arm I22 of the lever H0 with the lever I22, and a link I25, connecting 1 the lever I22. with the lever I".

Referring to Fig. 5, it will now be seen that the rocking of the lever I II by means of the cam portion 8, upon depressing the button 24, will effeet the rocking of the lever I22 through link I24,

Y which in turn will effect the rocking of the shift is adapted to be shifted into or out of engage-' ment with a slotted hub portion I34 of the tape feed roller 61 by means of a shifting lever I95 on shaft I20. When in an engaged position, as shown in Fig. 5, the roller 51 is adapted to be driven, but when disengaged, as in the position shown in Fig. 3, the drive to the feed roller 01 Iii.

A locking pin M2, provided at the inner end of the bar 95, is adapted to engage a slotted portion I63 of a flange I44 on the tape'feed roller 9? to prevent rotation of the tape feed rollers unless the button 24 is depressed.

To prevent the accidental pushing of the tape control push button 24, a latch bar I9I is provided which is pivotally mounted on b stud I92 as shown in Fig. 19. One end of said latch bar is adapted to engage a. notch I93 in the tape control push bar 95, when the push button is in its extended position as shown in Fig. 2, to thus latch the bar 95 against movement. The opposite end of the latch bar is. adapted to engage a cam I94, which is rotatable with the selector dial 25. Upon rotation of the selector dial 25 by knob I8, toset a value in the value printing type,

.the cam I94 will rotate and rock the latch I9I out of engagement with the bar 95, after which the push button may be depressed.

Means is also provided, which, during the rocking ofthe clutch member actuating devices, will effect sliding movement of the arm 58 to thereby shift the roller 92 Into or out of operative relation with its actuating cam member 9|. Said means comprises a slfdable sleeve I45. Fig. 3, which is slidably mounted on the stud 99, and which forms a part of the arm 99. At the end of said slidable sleeve I45 is a projecting flanged head I45 which is adapted to be engaged by a forked end I41 of an arm I49, fixed to the shaft I20. When the machine is set for a tape printing operation,'the said forked end I" will be in the position shown in Fig. 5. In this position the sleeve I45 is shown moved outwardly upon the stud 89 with the cam roller 92 in the path of the cam 9|. when the machine is set for a letter printing operation as in Fig. 3, the sleeve I45 will have been moved by the forked end I" to remove the cam roller 52 from the path of .the cam member 9|.

When tripping the machine by means of a letter, means is provided to prevent the depressing of the tape push button 24. Said means comprises a lock arm I5I fixed to the shaft I92 which arm is adapted to be rocked to the position shown in Fig. 8, into engagement with a slotted portion I52 of the bar 95. This action is effected when the letter L strikes the finger 5| and rocks the forked arm 99 and arm IOI.

iwhen the tape push button '24 is depressed, a letter cannot. be inserted in the machine, be-

' member.

cause the clutch connections I08, I01, with the shaft 43 is broken. The fingers 55 therefore remain in the letter path and obstruct the passage of a letter.

In the operation of the above. described ma- J chine, let us assume that an operator has five letters to mail, each of which will require a 3 stamp, and a parcel-post package which will require a 10 stamp. The operator will insert the required coin or coins amounting to the total of 25 within the coin slots [6 to effect the setting of a credit within the machine to the full value of the 25 or units, which amount will .be registered on the dial H. A selection isthen made by means of the knob I8 by rotating same until the value of 3 appears within the window 22.

Having made such selection, the'machine is now ready for a printing operation on either letters or tape.

Each of the five letters is inserted within the letter slot 2| in succession to effect the tripping of the machine and the printing of the selected value and other indicia on letters. As each letter is passed through the letter slot it will engage the trip finger Figs. 2 and 8, to thereby effect the tripping of the clutch 44, Figs. 3 and 17, also the tripping of the clutch I15, Figs. 3 and 16. The tripping of the clutch 44 will effect the release of letter feed roller 4| and rotation of the feed roller 42, which rollers will feed the letter to the printing cylinder. The tripping of the clutch H5 will effect the drive of said printing cylinder, which during its rotation will print and further feed the letter to a mail depositing position, as in Fig. 9.

Upon printing each of said letters, the credit which was set up, will be reduced 3 or units for each letter, thus leaving a balance of or units after all of the letters have had the value stamp impression printed thereon.

Instead of printing a value stamp impression directly upon the parcel, as had previously been done upon the letters, the stamped impression is to be taken upon a piece 'of tape which is cut to a suitable length and deposited. in the tape receiving receptacle l9. When taken from said receptacle, the tape is applied to the parcel, said tape having some suitable adhesive on ,the back thereof, such as a gummed surface.

Referring now to the tape printing operation, the operator will adjust the selector knob I8 to select the value of 10, which value will appear within the window 22. Having madesuch selection the operator will press the tape button 24, which will effect the trippingof the aforesaid clutch 44 through a connection with the trip finger supporting shaft 52, as indicated in Fig. 4, to thus trip the clutch H5 and start a tape feeding and printing operation,

During the rotation of the printing cylinder, the leading end of a strip of tape is fed to a printing position when a pin 19 which rotates with the printing cylinder engages a Geneva drive 11. This will effect the partial rotation of feed wheels 66-451 to feed the desired length of tape between the cutters 8|, 82 of a tape cutting Upon feeding said desired length of tape, the pin 19 will next advance to the position shown in Fig. 10, where it will engage a part of the cutting member to effect movement of a rotary cutter and sever the extended end of the tape before printing occurs. Immediately after said severing operation the indicia printing die 26 will have made contact with the severed tape portion, as shown in Fig. 11, to thereby print and feed said out tape portion. During said feeding operation the tape will pass through a guide tube 94, which will guide same into the tape receptacle I9.

Printing is effected at two different positions, at the top and bottom of the printing cylinder,

for the purpose of feeding letters into the machine and tape out of the machine. One platen roller 341s normally maintained in an operative position with relation to the printing cylinder for the printing of letters, and is adapted to be moved out of said printing position when a roller 92, Fig. 6 is in the path of a cam member 9!, on the printing cylinder 21. When said latter condition occurs, the cam 9| will engage the roller 92 upon rotation of the printing cylinder and depress a lever 88, which, through a roller 93, will effect the depression of a link 63 to thereby move the tape platen roller 56 into operative printing position with relation to the printing cylinder. Control of the position of the roller 92 is had through when printing upon letters.

the manipulation of the tape button 24, by mechanism best shown in Fig. 4.

Devices are also provided for preventing a letter feeding operation when printing upon tape and also to prevent a tape tripping operation In the first named instance, when the tape button is depressed, as in Fig. 4, a cam portion H6 at the inner end of the bar will engage lever ll! of Fig. 5, which through the mechanism above described, will effect the' declutching of the clutch member Tl-I08 to thereby break the drive to the feed roller shaft 43. When a letter is inserted in the machine to trip same, as in Fig. 8, the locking arm I5I will engage slot I52 in the bar 95 to prevent the tape button 24 from being depressed.

In addition to using tape as a convenience for applying a postage stamp impression to packages, the tape may be accepted as change, For example, if a person has a single letter to mail, which will require a 3 impression, and only has a 5 coin available, the balance of 2 may bereceived by accepting tape with the 2 value impression. Said tape or stamp may either be retained for future use in the same manner as any ordinary postage stamp or may be redeemed at its face value at any post ofiice.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a postage printing and mailing machine, a casingenveloping said machine having a letter slot and a tape delivery opening therein, a mail receptacle within the casing, a printing cylinder, a drive to rotate said cylinder once during a printing cycle of operation, a platen roller associated with the printing cylinder and positioned so as to cooperate in the printing of letters which are inserted in the letter slot and direct same to the mail receptacle, a second platen roller cooperating with the printing cylinder in the printing of tape and in directing same to the tape delivery opening, and means operable upon initiating either a letter or a tape printing operation to limit the printing to either letters or tape during the one revolution of the printing cylinder. s

2. In a postage printing and mailing machine, a casing enveloping said machine having a letter slot and a tape delivery opening therein, a mail receptacle within the casing, a printing cylinder, a drive to rotate said cylinder once during a printing cycle of operation, .a platen roller associated with the printing cylinder and positioned at the lower surface of the printing cylinder to of the printing cylinder to direct the tape outward to the tapedelivery opening, and means controllable upon initiating either a letter or a tape printing operation to limit the printing to either letters or tape during the one revolution of the printing cylinder.

3. In a mailing machine, a printing member, means to feed letters to said printing member, means to feed tape to said printing member, a letter controlled trip, a manual trip, a clutch controlled drive member connected with said letter feeding means, a clutch controlled drive member connected with the tape feeding means, connections between said clutch controlled members, said connections being movable to effect alternative connection of said clutch members in accordance with the trip selected.

4. In a machine having a printing device adapted for printing impressions on letters or on tape, a printing cylinder, a drive for said printing cylinder, an adiustably mounted platen roller associated, with the printing cylinder to effect printing on letters, an adiustably mounted platen roller associated with said printing cylinder to effect printing on tape, one of said platen rollers being normally in operative printing relation with the printing cylinder, manual tripping means to initiate a tape printing operation, tripping means to initiate a letter printing operation, said manual tripping means having a connection with both platen rollers, whereby said rollers may be simultaneously adjusted after the actuation of said manual tripping means to remove the one platen roller from its normal printing position and to move the other roller into printing posi tion.

5. In a postage printing and mailing machine, a casing enveloping said machine having a letter slot and tape delivery opening therein, a mail receptacle within the casing, a printing cylinder, a drive to rotate said cylinder during a printing cycle of operation, means operatively associated cooperate in the printing of letters which have with the printing cylinder to eflect'the printing and directing of lettersto the mail receptacle within the casing, means operatively associated with the printing cylinder to effect the printing and directing of the tape from within the casing to the tape delivery opening, a trip member associated with letter printing, a trip member associated with tape printing, and means controllable upon initiating either a letter or a tape printing operation to limit the printing to either letters or tape during a printing cycle of operation.

6. In a machine of the class described, a printing member, means to guide letters for printing by said printing member, means to guide tape for printing by said printing member, a tripping device to effect the operation of the printing member to print on letters, a tripping device to effect the operation or the printing member to print on tape, and means operable under the control of the tape tripping device to prevent the passage of letters along the letter guide when tripping is effected.

7. In a machine of the class described, a printing member, means to direct tape to the printing member, a tripping device and means controlled is associated with the tape to prevent movement of the letters to a printing position.

8. In a machine of the class described, a printing member, means to guide letters for printing by said printing member, means to guide tape for printing by said printing member, a tripping device to efiect the operation of the printing member to print on letters, a tripping device to efiect the operation of the printing member to print on tape, and means operable under control of the letter tripping device to prevent operation of the tape trip when letter tripping is eflected.

LINDEN A. THATCHER. JOHN A. S'IROTHER. 

